THIS WEEK IN WIJNJEWOUDE
Just an idea : have to see if it works... ie . can I keep it up? Is there enough that actually happens in Wijnjewoude for a weekly update?... and most importantly, is there anyone who actually cares?Week 43
We run the business by planning the weeks - most diaries or "agendas" contain week numbers, so it is widely used here.Our week usually consists of "Dagbesteding" or day work, with our adult clients, from Monday to Thursday. Lucas and Shararah are still with us after nearly 8 years and the other 5 are also feeling as though they "belong" - a source of great satisfaction to us.
We have Thomas extra at the moment from Wednesday to Sunday which involves the occasional "night shift" by Janny or me and/or extra personnel.
We also run a taxi service of sorts - Janny to Drachten, me to Haulerwijk (for Lucas) and return at the end of the day (1430hrs).
Janny's sister Ankie works on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so she picks up the Drachten clients on those days, on the way through from Dokkum.
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| On the way to pick up Lucas (0820) |
In short, most weeks look the same as far as the day clients, but week 43 was also school holidays so we have had extra kids coming and going as well.
We are also in the process of preparing to build a "Granny Flat" for Janny's parents. The plans have been approved by the local council so we now need to decide on a building company and arrange a deal with the bank!
I've been doing a bit of physical work lately (about 3kgs worth!) which is no bad thing. Mostly digging out the old floor from the rear of our house. When Janny's parents lived here it used to be a "barn" and milk shed for cows and a bull. They (the cows) would live there for the winter months and during the summer it was cleaned out and made into some sort of accommodation for holidaying families from "the big city". Janny remembers that she always had visiting kids to play with - an old postcard from that period has Janny and Ankie playing with other kids in the front yard.
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| 2 loads of rubble = 12 m3 |
Anyway, when digging out the old floor, we came across the "manure pit"; an underfloor collection ditch which could be pumped out when full. It was much harder to knock out than the rest! We have gone down by about 60 cm, to allow for insulation and underfloor heating. This is our first baby step in becoming more "energy efficient". It will still require gas but the water has only to be heated to 30° instead of the 60° required for the current radiators. Just on energy efficiency; we are members of a local group called (Wijnewoude Energy Neutraal (WEN). We're getting into this if we can afford it, but I'll save that for a later week.
This part of the new apartment will have the ensuite, bedroom, utilities room - the living room will be in the form of a "hayshed" attached to the entranceway which joins old and new.
Janny's Dad at Work
Hendrik at 82!!
Kids at Work
Winterising the boat
I'm very late this year, but I have assembled a few tools necessary for the job and I hope to get to it in week 44. A water pump for draining the hot water boiler ( a garden pump operated by attaching a cordless drill - not sure yet if it will work). An oil pump for removing the old engine oil - can't just drain it in a boat!) Anti-freeze and new oil. and then the 5 month wait to use the boat again.
Rijksmuseum
Janny took her Mum and another sister and nieces to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam - an item on Mum's Bucket List!
As a surprise, Ben arranged to meet them at the museum. (I was left at home!)
Reflective House Numbers
And as if we didn't have enough to do.... Janny in her role as a member of the Local Action Group, has organised reflective house numbers for anyone who wants them - mostly people in outer (darker) areas like ours. Makes it easier for Emergency Services and others. People have been coming here to pick them up.From previous weeks
Coffee Break
A walking club used our place for a pit stop and coffee break.
Fire Escape Removed and sold
Well, I'm sure there must be much more that happened last week.... oh yes we changed back to "normal" time - so the time difference is now 10 hours.
